Geranium Plant Named ‘Fisom’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named ‘Fisom’ as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized by the combined features of brilliant purple-pink flowers with dark-red eyes, relatively large, round umbels, medium-green, slightly zoned foliage, medium-sized plant habit, and mid season spring flowering response.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium,botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Fisom’.

‘Fisom’ is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new geranium varieties with purple flower color,in combination with intense green foliage, and medium sized plant habit.‘Fisom’ originated from a hybridization made by the inventor AngelikaUtecht in a controlled breeding program in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain,in 1995.

The female parent was the patented variety ‘Fisdino’, U.S. Plant Pat.No. 8,761, having purple-pink semi-double flowers with distinct eyes,medium green, zoned foliage, and moderately vigorous growth habit. Themale parent of ‘Fisom’ was a hybrid seedling, no. 998-9 (unpatented),characterized by dark-pink flowers with white macules at the bases ofupper petals, and medium-green, zoned foliage.

‘Fisom’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross by Angelika Utecht in 1996 in a controlled environment inGaldar, Gran Canaria, Spain. The first act of asexual reproduction of‘Fisom’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from theinitial selection in the fall of 1996 in a controlled environment inGaldar, Gran Canaria, Spain, by, or under the supervision of, AngelikaUtecht.

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in May 1998 in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, andcontinuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fisom’ are firmly fixed and areretained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘Fisom’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describeplants grown in Hillscheid, Germany, and in Langley, British Columbia,Canada, under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generallyused in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of ‘Fisom’ in combination distinguish thisgeranium as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Brilliant purple-pink colored flowers with red and white markings;

2. Relatively large, round inflorescences;

3. Medium-green foliage with slight zonation;

4. Medium-sized plant habit, and good branching characteristics; and

5. Mid-season spring flowering response.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Fisom’ is the parental variety ‘Fisdino’.

In comparison to ‘Fisdino’, ‘Fisom’ has a slightly more bluish mainflower color and partly different kind of markings. While ‘Fisdino’ hassalmon-red coloring at the bases of the upper petals, ‘Fisom’ has smallwhite bases. Furthermore, ‘Fisom’ branches more easily, and develops amore uniform and round plant habit, and is somewhat less tall than‘Fisdino’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘Fisom’ with colors being as true as possible with anillustration of this type. The photograph is a side view of a floweringpotted plant. The measurements were taken in Langley, British Columbia,Canada, on Jul. 20, 2000, 15 weeks after planting of rooted cuttingsinto 6 inch pots. The plants had not been pinched.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.). The color values weredetermined indoors from plants developed in a green-house in May 2000,in Hillscheid, Germany.

Classification:

Botanical.—A hybrid of the species Pelargonium zonale L'Hérit.

Commercial.—Zonal geranium, cv. ‘Fisom’.

Inflorescence:

Umbel.—Shape: Semi-spherical to nearly spherical. Average diameter: 116mm. Average depth: 70 mm. Peduncle length: 178 mm. Peduncle color:Grass-green, RHS 143 A. Pedicel length: 27 mm. Pedicel color: Lightgreen, RHS 143 C, at the base, upper part light red RHS 179 C toreddish-browh RHS 178 A. Number of flowers per umbel: Approximately 30.Lastingness of umbel: Approximately 16-18 days at 18° C.

Corolla.—Average diameter: 44 mm. Form: Semi-double. Shape: Nearlyround, but with a narrow gap between upper and lower petals. Number ofpetals: 6-9. Petal size: Upper petals (2): 24-26 mm in length, 15-17 mmin diameter; lower petals: 22-24 mm in length, 19-20 mm in diameter.Inner petals are approximately the same size as lower petals. Petalshape: Oblong to nearly obovate, upper end is rounded with attenuatebase, margin entire. Color (general tonality from a distance of threemeters): Intense purple-pink with deep red eyes. Color of upper petals:Varies between RHS 74 B and RHS 67 B. Markings of upper petals:Relatively large, red eyes, varies between RHS 57 A and 66 A, and smallwhite bases RHS 155 D. Color of lower petals: Varies between RHS 74 Band RHS 67 B. Markings of lower petals: Smaller red eyes, RHS 66 A.Color of lower surface of petals: RHS 74 C or lighter, fading towardbluish-pink RHS 68 B, with whitish-pink stripes, RHS 65 D, between theveins at the base. Number of petaloids: 1-2. Petaloid color: Uppersurface purplish-pink RHS 67 B, lower surface RHS 74 C. Color of sepals:Outer surface green, between RHS 143 A and RHS 143 B, base withreddish-brown spot RHS 179 A; inner surface light green RHS 147 C, withreddish base closest to RHS 47 A. Number of sepals: 5. Sepal size: 10-12mm in length, 4 mm in diameter for the upper sepal; 2-3 mm in diameterfor the other sepals. Sepal shape: Linear to lanceolate, acute tip, basetruncate, margin entire.

Bud: (just prior to petals unfolding).—Shape: Narrow elliptical toelliptical. Sepal Color (lower part): Light green, varying between RHS143 B and RHS 143 C. Petal Color (upper part): Purple-pink, varyingbetween RHS 74B and RHS 67 B. Length: 18 mm. Width: 8-9 mm.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: 7 fertile anthers, white filaments,orange pollen, RHS 33 A, plentiful pollen production. Gynoecium:5-6-lobed, dark-red stigma, RHS 46 A, and red style; one pistil perflower. Fertility/seed set: Occasionally a few seeds are developed;oblong shape, 4-5 mm long, brown, RHS 177B. Fruit: Oblong shape,approximately 6 mm long, rostrum about 40 mm long when ripe, green, RHS143 A to RHS 143 B.

Spring flowering response period.—In Hillscheid, Germany, in 2000,plants had on average 0.8 flowers opened 8 weeks after planting ofrooted cuttings.

Outdoor flower production.—Average number of flowers, the flower countin 2000, in Hillscheid, Germany, indicated about 2-3 inflorescences perplant in mid-May.

Durability.—Good stability of flower color, not quite resistant againstbeing scorched/burnt by the sun, fair rain resistance.

Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 8 days at 18° C.

Fragrance.—None.

Plant:

Foliage.—Shape: Kidney-shaped. Apex: Rounded. Base: Open to wide open,cordate. Margin: Bicrenated; wavy with weak expression of lobes. Size ofleaf: 92 mm wide, 55-60 mm long. Color of upper surface: Medium green,approximately RHS 137 C. Color of lower surface: RHS 137 D. Color ofzonation: Weak, dark-green to brown, RHS 147 A to RHS 166 A. Petiole:50-60 mm in length, 3-3.5 mm in diameter, RHS 137D.

General appearance and form.—Stem color: Green, RHS 143 A. Internodelength: 5-15 mm. Branching pattern: 4.6 branches. Plant size: 21.5 cm inheight from the soil to the surface of the foliage; 35 cm wide.

Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: None observed to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named ‘Fisom’as described and